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1970–Actor, Matt Damon, is born Matthew Paige Damon in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He appeared in the films School Ties, Good Will Hunting, The Rainmaker, Chasing Amy, Saving Private Ryan, The Talented Mr. Ripley, All the Pretty Horses, The Majestic, Gerry, Ocean’s Eleven, The Bourne Identity, Stuck on You, The Departed, True Grit, Elyisum, Behind the Candelabra, and The Monuments Men.



BC 319–Pyrrhus of Epirus is born in Epirus (present-day Greece). He was one of the strongest opponents of early Rome.

314–Roman Emperor Licinius is defeated by his colleague Constantine I, at the Battle of Cibalae, losing his European territories.

451–At Chalcedon, a city of Bithynia in Asia Minor, the first session of the Council of Chalcedon begins.

876–Frankish forces, led by Louis the Younger, prevent a West Frankish invasion and defeat Emperor Charles II ("The Bald").

1075–Dmitar Zvonimir is crowned King of Croatia.

1150–Narapatisithu, Pagan King of Burma, is born. The Pagan Empire reached its peak during his reign, and would decline gradually after his death.

1200–Isabella of Angoulême is crowned Queen consort of England.

1281–Princess Constance of Greater Poland dies in Chorin, Brandenburg, Germany, at age 36.

1317–Emperor Fushimi of Japan dies in Kyoto, Japan, at age 52.

1322–Mladen II Subic of Bribir, defeated in the battle of Bliska, is arrested by the Parliament.

1480–Great stand on the Ugra river takes place: a standoff between the forces of Akhmat Khan, Khan of the Great Horde, and the Grand Duke Ivan III of Russia, which results in the retreat of the Tataro-Mongols and the eventual disintegration of the Horde.

1573–The Spanish siege of Alkmaar ends, becoming the first Dutch victory in the Eighty Years' War.

1582–Due to the implementation of the Gregorian calendar this day does not exist in this year in Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Spain.

1600–San Marino adopts its written constitution.

1645–Jeanne Mance opens the Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal, Canada, the first lay hospital in North America.

1735–Emperor Yongzheng of China dies in Beijing, China, at age 56. It is generally accepted that he died while reading court documents, and is likely that his death was the result of elixir poisoning from an overdose of the “elixir of immortality” he was consuming in the belief that it would prolong his life. He was the fifth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty and the third Qing emperor to rule over China proper.

1753–Princess Sophia Albertina of Sweden is born Sophia Maria Lovisa Fredrika Albertina in Stockholm, Sweden.

1754–Novelist, Henry Fielding, dies in Lisbon, Kingdom of Portugal, at age 47. He is the author of Tom Jones. Aside from his literary achievements, he has a significant place in the history of law enforcement, having founded (with his half-brother, John) what some have called London, England's first police force, the Bow Street Runners, using his authority as a magistrate.

1779–William Blake begins his studies at the Royal Academy.

1793–Politician, John Hancock, dies at Hancock Manor in Boston, Massachusetts, at age 56. Hancock was president of Congress when the Declaration of Independence was adopted and signed. He is primarily remembered by Americans for his large, flamboyant signature on the Declaration, so much so that "John Hancock" became, in the United States, an informal synonym for “signature.” He was the first Governor of Massachusetts.

1806–In the Napoleonic Wars, forces of the British Empire lay siege to the port of Boulogne in France, by using Congreve rockets, invented by Sir William Congreve.

1813–The Treaty of Ried is signed between Bavaria and Austria.

1821–The government of general José de San Martín establishes the Peruvian Navy.

1856–The Second Opium War, between several western powers and China, begins with the Arrow Incident on the Pearl River.

1860–The telegraph line between Los Angeles and San Francisco opens in California.

1862–During the American Civil War, Union forces, under General Don Carlos Buell, halt the Confederate invasion of Kentucky by defeating troops led by General Braxton Bragg at Perryville, Kentucky.

1869–Inventor, James Frank Duryea, is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Duryea, with his brother Charles, invented the first automobile that was actually built and operated in the U.S. in 1893.

1871–Four major fires break out on the shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago; Peshtigo, Wisconsin; Holland, Michigan; and Manistee, Michigan.

1879–During the War of the Pacific, the Chilean Navy defeats the Peruvian Navy in the Battle of Angamos. Peruvian Admiral Miguel Grau is killed in the encounter.

1895–Queen Min of Joseon, the last empress of Korea, is assassinated and her corpse burnt by Japanese infiltrators inside Gyeongbok Palace.

1895–General and politician, Juan (Domingo) Perón, is born in Lobos, Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was the President of Argentina (1946-1955 and 1973-1974).

1895–Zog I of Albania is born Ahmet Muhtar Zogolli at Burgajet Castle, Ottoman Empire. He first served as Prime Minister of Albania (1922-1924), then as President (1925-1928), and finally as King (1928-1939).

1898–Musician, Clarence Williams, is born in Plaquemine, Louisiana. He was a jazz pianist, composer, promoter, vocalist, theatrical producer, and publisher. He produced and participated in early recordings by Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, and Bessie Smith. In 1943, Williams retired and sold his extensive back-catalogue of tunes to Decca Records for $50,000. He then bought a bargain used-goods store. His was the grandfather of actor, Clarence Williams III.

1904–Edmonton, Alberta, and Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, are incorporated as cities in Canada.

1910–Actor, Kirk Alyn, is born John Feggo, Jr. in Oxford, New Jersey. He was the first actor to play Superman. He appeared in the films My Sister Eileen, Lucky Jordan, You Were Never Lovelier, The Man from the Rio Grande, Pistol Packin’ Mama. A Guy Named Joe, Four Jills in a Jeep, Forty Thieves, Storm Over Lisbon, The Trap, When Worlds Collide, The Savage, The Eddy Duchin Story, and Beginning of the End.

1912–Montenegro declares war against the Ottoman Empire, as the First Balkan War begins.

1918–During World War I, while in action near Pittem, Belgium, USMC 2nd Lieutenant aviator, Ralph Talbot, of Weymouth, Massachusetts, becomes the first-ever USMC aviator to earn the Medal of Honor.

1921–Radio station KDKA conducts the first live broadcast of a football game at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

1924–Writer, Virginia Woolf, completes her novel Mrs. Dalloway.

1926–Motivational author, Louise Hay, is born Helen Vera Lunney in Los Angeles, California. In 1984, Hay established the Hay House publishing firm. Her most popular book is You Can Heal Your Life.

1928–Joseph Szigeti gives the first performance of Alfredo Casella's Violin Concerto.

1932–The Indian Air Force is established.

1935–Bandleader, Ozzie Nelson, marries singer, Harriet Hilliard in his mother’s apartment in Hackensack, New Jersey.

1936–Journalist and gossip columnist, Rona Barrett, is born Rona Burstein in New York, New York. In 1966, she began broadcasting Hollywood gossip on the Los Angeles station KABC-TV. She appeared on TV regularly, going on to appear on ABC's five owned and operated stations around the country. She began appearing on Good Morning America in 1975.

1939–Germany annexes western Poland.

1939–Actor, Paul Hogan, is born in Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, Australia. He is best known for his starring role in the film Crocodile Dundee.

1941–African-American spokesperson and politician, Jesse Jackson, is born Jesse Louis Burns in Greenville, South Carolina. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988, and served as a shadow U.S. Senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. Former U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. is his eldest son.

1943–In World War II, around 30 civilians are executed by Friedrich Schubert's paramilitary group in Kallikratis, Crete.

1943–Actor and comedian, Chevy Chase, is born Cornelius Crane Chase in New York, New York. Born into a prominent New York family, he worked a variety of jobs before moving into comedy and began acting with National Lampoon. He became a key cast member in the debut season of Saturday Night Live, where his recurring Weekend Update segment soon became a staple of the show. He left the show after one season to pursue an acting career. He appeared in the films The Groove Tube, Tunnel Vision, Foul Play, Caddyshack, Seems Like Old Times, Modern Problems, National Lampoon’s Vacation, Fletch, and Memoirs of an Invisible Man.

1944–The TV series, The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, debuts on CBS radio.

1944–Politician, Wendell Willkie, dies after a series of heart attacks in New York, New York, at age 52. He was the 1940 Republican candidate for president. His Democratic opponent, incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt, won the election with 55% of the popular vote.

1948–Musician, Johnny Ramone, is born John William Cummings in Forrest Hills, New York. He was a member of the punk rock band, The Ramones.

1949–(James) Hamish Stuart, of Average White Band, is born in Scotland.

1949–Actress, Sigourney Weaver, is born Susan Alexandra Weaver in Manhattan, New York. She appeared in the films Annie Hall, Alien, Eyewitness, The Year of Living Dangerously, Ghostbusters, Half Moon Street, Gorillas in the Mist, Working Girl, Dave, Copycat, The Ice Storm, A Map of the World, Tadpole, Holes, The Village, and Snow Cake. Her father was NBC television executive and television pioneer, Sylvester "Pat" Weaver. Comedian and actor, Doodles Weaver, was her uncle.

1952–The Harrow and Wealdstone rail crash kills 112 people in London, England.

1953–Actor, Nigel Bruce, dies of a heart attack in Santa Monica, California, at age 58. He is best known for the role of Dr. Watson in a series of films and in the radio series The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (starring Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes). He appeared in the films The Charge of the Light Brigade, Kidnapped, Rebecca, Susan and God, Suspicion, and Lassie Come Home.

1955–Cajun accordionist, Iry LeJeune, dies as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident in Eunice, Louisiana, at age 26. At the time of his death, LeJeune was at the pinnacle of his career. He and fiddler, J. B. Fuselier, were traveling home on old Highway 80 from a dance, when their car got a flat tire. While changing the tire, a car came speeding down the highway, knocking LeJeune into a nearby field, killing him.

1956–Don Larsen, of the New York Yankees, pitches the only perfect baseball game in a World Series.

1956–Actress, Stephanie Zimbalist, is born in New York, New York. She is best known for the role of Laura Holt in the detective series Remington Steele. She appeared in the films The Magic of Lassie, The Awakening, The Prophet’s Game, Borderline Normal, and Malpractice. Her father is actor, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.

1964–A chart topper: Do Wah Diddy Diddy by Manfred Mann.

1964–Actor, Ian Hart, is born Ian Davies in Knotty Ash, Liverpool, Merseyside, England. He appeared on the films The Hours and Times, Backbeat, Nothing Personal, The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain, Michael Collins, Wonderland, The End of the Affair, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and Finding Neverland.

1964–Singer, CeCe Winans, is born Priscilla Marie Winans in Detroit, Michigan.

1965–London’s Post Office Tower opens, becoming the tallest building in England.

1967–Guerrilla leader, Che Guevara, and his men are captured in Bolivia.

1969–The opening rally of the “Days of Rage” takes place, organized by the Weather Underground in Chicago, Illinois.

1970–Author, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, wins the Nobel Prize for literature. The Soviet government forces him to refuse the prize.

1970–Actor, Matt Damon, is born Matthew Paige Damon in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He appeared in the films School Ties, Good Will Hunting, The Rainmaker, Chasing Amy, Saving Private Ryan, The Talented Mr. Ripley, All the Pretty Horses, The Majestic, Gerry, Ocean’s Eleven, The Bourne Identity, Stuck on You, The Departed, True Grit, Elyisum, Behind the Candelabra, and The Monuments Men.

1971–John Lennon’s LP, Imagine, is released in the U.K.

1973–Gabi Amir's armored brigade unsuccessfully attacks Egyptian-occupied positions on the Israeli side of the Suez Canal, in hope of driving them away. More than 150 Israeli tanks are destroyed.

1973–Junta strongman, George Papadopoulos, appoints Spyros Markezinis as Prime Minister of Greece, with the task to lead Greece to parliamentary rule.

1974–Franklin National Bank collapses due to fraud and mismanagement. At the time, it is the largest bank failure in the history of the United States.

1978–Australia's Ken Warby sets the current world water speed record of 317.60 mph at Blowering Dam, Australia.

1980–Bob Marley collapses in New York, while preparing for a tour of the U.S. with Stevie Wonder. He is diagnosed as having cancer and will die just seven months later.

1982–Poland bans Solidarity and all trade unions.

1982–The stage musical, Cats, opens on Broadway and runs for nearly 18 years before closing on September 10, 2000.

1982–Actor, Fernando Lamas, dies of pancreatic cancer in Los Angeles, California, at age 67. He appeared in the films Stella, Story of a Bad Woman, The Avengers, The Merry Widow, The Girl Who Had Everything, Rose Marie, The Lost World, The Violent Ones, 100 Rifles, and The Cheap Detective.

1983–Actress, Joan Hackett, dies of ovarian cancer in Encino, California, at age 49. She appeared in the films The Group, Will Penny, Support Your Local Sheriff, How Awful About Allan, The Last of Sheila, The Terminal Man, One Trick Pony, and Only When I Laugh.

1985–Little Richard is seriously injured in a car accident.

1985–Singer, Bruno Mars, is born Peter Gene Hernandez in Honolulu, Hawaii. His hits include When I Was Your Man and Uptown Funk.

1987–Chuck Berry receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1987–Politician and scholar, Konstantinos Tsatsos, dies in Athens, Greece, at age 88. He was President of Greece from 1975 to 1980.

1988–Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon album finally falls off the Billboard “Top 200 Album Chart” after a record 741 weeks.

1990–In Jerusalem, Israeli police kill 17 Palestinians and wound over 100 others near the Dome of the Rock mosque on the Temple Mount.

1991–Croatia and Slovenia vote to sever constitutional relations with Yugoslavia.

1992–The U.S. Postal Service announces plans to issue stamps in honor of Bill Haley, Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Ritchie Valens, Clyde McPhatter, Otis Redding, and Dinah Washington.

1999–The BBC announces the results of its poll for the “Nation’s Favourite Song Lyric,” which was sponsored in celebration of the Britain’s 6th Annual National Poetry Day. John Lennon’s song Imagine was voted #1.

2001–President George W. Bush announces the establishment of the Office of Homeland Security.

2001–A twin engine Cessna and a Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) jetliner collide in heavy fog during takeoff from Milan, Italy, killing 118 people.

2005–Thousands of people are killed by a 7.6 earthquake in parts of Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan.

2011–Pianist, Roger Williams, dies of pancreatic cancer in Encino, California, at age 87. In 1955, Williams recorded Autumn Leaves, the only piano instrumental to reach #1 on the Billboard popular music chart. It sold over two million copies.

2013–Philip Chevron, of The Pogues, dies of cancer in Dublin, Ireland, at age 56. He is regarded as one of the most influential figures in Irish punk music.

2014–Liberian courier, Thomas Eric Duncan, dies from ebola at age 42. He was the first person diagnosed with the deadly ebola virus in the U.S.

2015–Chef, Paul Prudhomme, dies after a brief illness in New Orleans, Louisiana, at age 75. His specialty was Creole cuisine, which he helped to popularize around the world. He was the chef proprietor of K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen in the French Quarter of New Orleans, and had a successful line of hot sauces and seasoning mixes. In 1980, he was made a Chevalier (Knight) of the French Ordre National du Mérite Agricole, in honor of his work with Cajun and Creole cuisines.

2016–Russia deploys nuclear-capable Iskander missiles to its Kaliningrad exclave between Poland and Lithuania.

2016–Hungary's leading left-wing newspaper, Népszabadság, shuts down after 60 years, amid significant financial losses despite cost cuts.

2016–A gunman shoots three police officers in Palm Springs, California, leaving two dead and one injured.

2016–Musician, Don Ciccone, dies in Ketchum, Idaho, at age 70. He was a member of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (1973-1981) and Tommy James and the Shondells.


PHOTOS TOP TO BOTTOM: Isabella of Angoulême; Henry Fielding; Juan Perón; Kirk Alyn as the first Superman; Rona Barrett; The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet radio show; Che Guevara, after he was captured in Bolivia; John Lennon's Imagine LP; Joan Hackett; the Buddy Holly stamp issued in 1992 by the U.S. Postal Service; and Roger Williams.

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